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Workforce, pensions and training

01.06.15

More strikes to hit Bromley Council

A third wave of strikes is set to hit Bromley Council as workers walk out over plans to privatise services.

Members of Unite are to walk out on a series of selective strikes from 10-20 June over plans that the union claim will see the Conservative-led authority become a “commissioning council”, reducing the council workforce from 4,000 employees to 300.

Adult services and transport workers will be striking from 10-15 June, library staff will be on strike from 13-20 June, and Unite members working for the council will strike on 16 June.

The parks service, which had been publicly run, is being transferred to the Landscape Group, which has announced that immediately after the transfer it will be making redundancies.

The council has also agreed to outsource learning disabilities services by handing it to another private company, Certitude.

Unite regional officer Onay Kasab said: “We have long warned that this is about cuts – now here is the proof that shows that we are right to be making a stand for services. Cutting staff levels for services that deal with vulnerable adults will have an inevitable adverse impact.

“It is a scandal that council taxpayers in Bromley will pick up a bill for redundancies made by private companies. Bromley council is gutless. The private companies will make the cuts, while Tory councillors rub their hands like Pontius Pilate.”

Unite’s members voted by 87% to take strike action in protest against the mass privatisation programme, cuts to pay and conditions, and the withdrawal of facility time from the Unite trade union representative.

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Devolution, restructuring and widespread service reform: from a journalist’s perspective, it’s never been a more exciting time to report on the public sector. That’s why I could not be more thrilled to be taking over the reins at PSE at this key juncture.
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